Date set for Stonehenge Tunnel legal challenge hearing
Campaigners against the A303 scheme want its approval to be quashed
A date's been set for a legal challenge against the approval of the controversial A303 Stonehenge Tunnel project.
Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site is calling for the decision made by Transport Secretary Mark Harper in July to be quashed.
The £1.7 billion project includes plans for a two mile tunnel for a dualled A303 past the stone circle, as well as a bypass for Winterbourne Stoke and a flyover for the Countess roundabout at Amesbury and further improvements over an eight mile stretch.
Campaigners have been arguing the scheme would damage the UNESCO World Heritage and the archaeologically-rich landscape.
The group's already handed a petition to UNESCO, asking for them to step in to stop the project. |newtab)
The High Court hearing to challenge the decision will be heard from Tuesday 12th December and is listed for three days.
It's due to be a 'rolled up hearing', meaning the permission for the proceedings and the full case itself are held together.
After that, it's likely a decision will be handed down in the New Year.
In a update on their crowdfunding page, Save Stonehenge said:
"This will be our chance to make the case as to why the decision should be thrown out again. This will probably be harder this time as the Government has at least made a pretence of considering alternative options.
"Nonetheless, there are a number of grounds, including the consideration of alternatives, where we feel it has erred in law. These should give the judge strong reasons to quash the decision again."
The group previously blocked the scheme, when they successfully appealed to the High Court in July 2021, citing environmental concerns.
They've so far raised more than £62,000 towards legal fees for the campaign - with the crowdfunder still open.
David Bullock, National Highways’ Project Manager for the A303 Stonehenge scheme, said:
“We remain confident this scheme is the best solution for tackling a long-standing traffic bottleneck, improving journeys, bringing much needed relief to local communities and boosting the economy in the south-west. Ultimately, by removing the existing road we will return the Stonehenge landscape to something like its original setting.
“It is very much a scheme objective to conserve and enhance the World Heritage Site and this is being achieved through close collaborative working with heritage groups, the independent A303 Scientific Committee, and our archaeology contractors, who have an extensive track record of work in connection with the Stonehenge landscape.
“We have taken a lot of care to get to this point, and we will continue to work with the Heritage Monitoring Advisory Group and experts within the Scientific Committee to ensure the scheme is delivered with heritage and the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site at the heart of every decision made.”